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The Houston police officer who shot 14-year-old Eli Escobar was indicted for murder Wednesday. Officer A.J. Carbonneau turned himself in early Wednesday night and has already bonded out. He argued his gun accidentally fired during a struggle with 14-year-old Eli Escobar. And late Wednesday a grand jury disagreed. It charged him with murder following last November's deadly incident outside an apartment complex in the 3100 block of Mangum. Carbonneau claimed the teen kicked him in the groin during a criminal mischief call, so he drew his pistol. That, the officer says, is when he was kicked in the arm causing...

FBI reviews police shootings of 2 teensJustice Department will get results, decide if civil rights probe warrantedBy ROBERT CROWE Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle The FBI is looking into the recent shooting deaths of two teenage boys at the hands of Houston police officers, federal officials said Wednesday. Bob Doguim, Houston FBI spokesman, said the agency initiated separate fact-finding missions, or preliminary inquiries, into the deaths of Eli Escobar Jr., 14, on Friday, and Jose Vargas Jr., 15, on Halloween night. "(The pair of inquiries) doesn't mean there has been any kind of civil rights violations (by police)," Doguim said. "It...

Houston Police Chief C.O. Bradford announced today that he would resign in September to spend more time with his expectant wife. Although Bradford did not respond to calls for comment today, several members of his staff -- including Lana To and senior community liaison Anita Fuentes -- said Bradford told a small gathering of his personal staff that he wanted to spend more time with his wife, Dawn, who is expecting the couple's first child in November. According to Mayor Lee Brown's staff, Bradford and Brown would hold a news conference to discuss the resignation tomorrow at 11:15 a.m. at...

Urges crime lab court of inquiry Criminal defendants in Texas are at the mercy of prosecutors in an unfair system that emphasizes winning rather than justice, Houston Police Chief C.O. Bradford said Monday. "Trial by ambush -- that is a Texas criminal justice problem," the embattled chief said. In a two-hour meeting with the Houston Chronicle editorial board, Bradford also said he believes there is sufficient probable cause for Harris County judges to convene a court of inquiry to publicly and independently investigate the entire Police Department crime lab, not just the troubled DNA portion. He distanced himself, however, from...

Trial for officers in Kmart raid starts June 2 By LISA TEACHEY Coypright 2003 Houston Chronicle Two former Houston police officers who were at the helm of a botched raid at a westside parking lot will go to trial June 2 to answer charges of official oppression. Capt. Mark Aguirre and Sgt. Ken Wenzel, who appeared in court today for the trial setting, each face five charges of official oppression for ordering the arrests of more than 300 people, including many teenagers, at a Kmart parking lot in the 8400 block of Westheimer on Aug. 18. The scene of hundreds...

HPD's Aguirre fired over raid By KRISTEN MACK Copyright 2003 Houston Chronicle Jan. 29, 2003, 3:51PM Houston police Capt. Mark Aguirre, commander of the controversial raid at a west-side Kmart in August, was fired this morning. Acting Police Chief Tim Oettmeier announced Aguirre's firing during a briefing to City Council on the Kmart raids. "What we witnessed was nothing more than the political lynching of Aguirre and they used Oettmeier as the henchman," said Aguirre's attorney, Terry Yates. Aguirre, who had his first chance to speak out today, said the department is using him as a scapegoat and HPD is...

<p>The police chief might go to prison for perjury. The captain who led the raid might eventually be fired. Twelve other officers have been relieved of duty. And the city faces millions in potential legal costs.</p> <p>The 5,300-man Houston Police Department is in turmoil, many aligning themselves behind either Capt. Mark Aguirre or Police Chief Clarence Bradford.</p>

Houston Police Chief C.O. Bradford was indicted Friday on allegations of lying under oath about whether he used foul language with subordinates. Hours later, Mayor Lee Brown suspended the first police chief in Houston in modern times to be charged with a crime. If convicted, the chief, who also is a lawyer, could face up to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000. "Obviously, I'm not happy about it," Brown said. "As you know, we have a good police chief, a good department. ... Chief Bradford will proceed through the process, I'm assuming get himself a...

Here's one for the Naked Gun -- From the Files of Police Squad! Police officer tries to fix squad cars. Police force loses cars. Until Wednesday, that is. After missing for nearly a month, the two Houston Police Department squad cars were found sitting at a car dealership where they had been sent for repairs. The two marked police cars with lights and sirens were discovered missing June 21 during a routine inventory check. They turned up Wednesday morning at the dealership where they had been sent for warranty work -- with Police Department authorization. Police spokesman Robert Hurst declined...